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“One last thing,” I said, touching her gently around the face Phoebe winced as though
“Did I hurt you?” I withdrewsure that, if you cry, the tears will appear clear rather than red”
“Phoebe is quite sensitive,” Freyja explained
“And we haven’t done the full range of tests to determine those sensitivities” Miriaood idea, Marcus”
“Do you forbidher to the hospital?” Marcus asked
“You know me better than that,” Miriam retorted She turned to Phoebe “This is your decision”
Phoebe was out the door in a flash, Françoise on her heels
“We’ll be in touch,” Marcus said, following her
—
MATTHEW WAS IN THE HALL with Edward’s chart e arrived at the hospital A flock of physicians and nurses were in conference nearby Through the door, I could see Pad by Edward, as connected to machines that
“How is he?” I asked, putting my hand on Matthew’s arm
“His condition is critical but stable,” Matthew said, closing the chart “They’re doing everything possible Where’s Phoebe?”
“On her ith Marcus and Françoise,” I replied “We thought it would be better if I came ahead, in case”
Matthew nodded “They’re discussing surgical options now”
The elevator doors opened Phoebe was inside, with Marcus on her right and Françoise on her left She earing dark glasses, her hair dull instead of glossy, and she appeared to be wrapped in an unflattering olive drab coat
“Disguising spell,” I murmured to Matthew “A heavy one”
“Phoebe,” Matthew said as she approached
“Where’swith tears Thankfully, they left nothing but wet traces on her cheeks
“In here Your mother and sister are with him,” Matthew said
“Is he” Phoebe searched Matthew’s face, unable to finish her sentence
“He’s in critical condition, but stable,” Matthew replied “His heart sustained considerable daery now”
Phoebe took a shuddering breath
“Are you ready to go in?” Marcus asked gently
“I don’t know” Phoebe was gripping Marcus’s hand with such power that it becareen She looked at Marcus in panic “What if Miriaht? What if I can’t handle this?”
“I’ll be with you,” Marcus said, trying to reassure her “So will Françoise and Diana And Matthew is here, too”
Phoebe gave a shaky nod “Don’t let go”
“Never,” Marcus promised
Padma’s tearful face looked up as we entered Stella rushed toward her sister
“He’s dying!” Stella’s features were swollen with tears, her eyes red and raw “Do so!”
“That’s enough, Stella” Padma’s voice was shaky
“No She can ht “He’s too young to die”
The fast approach of a war vampire could handle Phoebe’s lips curled into a snarl
Matthehisked Stella out the door She was still begging for so for her father
With Stella out of the way, Phoebe was able to regain control She searched for her father a him alive
“Oh, Mum”
“I know, Phoebe” Padma patted the empty seat next to her “Come and sit with me Talk to him He’s missed you so these last few months”
Marcus guided Phoebe to the chair He cast a long look at Pad up under the strain
“This is my fault, isn’t it?” Phoebe whispered “I kneasn’t feeling well But I just wanted to be married before—before—”
“Your father’s heart has been weak for years, Phoebe,” Pad to do with your decision”
“But the stress,” Phoebe said, turning to her ued over and over about it”
“There’s no point in second-guessing yourself, or engaging in one to Muht that virus, or he should have retired sooner and had a proper rest like the doctor wanted,” Padma replied
“Your ht, Phoebe I knew as soon as I ile, and that he wasn’t taking good enough care of himself Remember? We talked about this” Marcus waited for his mate’s response
Reluctantly, Phoebe nodded
“You are in no way responsible for the choices your father made in his life,” Padma said “You’re here now Don’t waste this precious time Tell him you love him”
Phoebe reached over and took her father’s hand
“Hey, Dad,” she said, sniffing back her tears “It’s me Phoebe Marcus is here, too”
Her father lay unconscious and unresponsive Phoebe’ssqueeze
“Miriae” Phoebe wiped at her eyes and gave a shaky laugh “I grehole inch You kno ain And painting”
Phoebe’s father had alanted her to go back to sketching and painting He still had one of her teenage atte in his office at home
“That’s wonderful, Phoebe,” Padma said “I’m happy for you”
“I’ her h”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Padma said
“Perhaps,” Phoebe said Taking credit was Stella’s department
“I don’t think you have to be worried about being bored during de Clers, Dad,” Phoebe continued Her father wasn’t responding to her s and liked to hear about her life He always had, no nificant the concern “Freyja and Miria with a pair of Scheherazades”
Before she could say anything else, Phoebe was distracted by Stella’s conversation with the doctors out in the corridor
“What do you ery?” Stella demanded
“Is so attention
“They can save hih the , Phoebe saw her point to her and Marcus “They can give him their blood, and it will all be fine”
“Your father doesn’t need blood,” one of theery—”
“No, you don’t understand,” Stella cried “Their blood can save him!”
“Let me talk to her,” Matthew said “She’s in shock” He took Stella by the elbow and steered her away from the doctors and into their father’s room
“I can’t save Edward,” Matthew said “I’m sorry, Stella It doesn’t work that way”
“Why not?” Stella demanded She turned on Phoebe “You do it, then Or are you too selfish to share your good fortune with the rest of us?”
One of Edward’s h-pitched sound, then another Medical personnel flooded into the roo Edward’s vitals Marcus drew Phoebe into the corner, where she would not be in the way o;One last thing,” I said, touching her gently around the face Phoebe winced as though